Pro-government Assembly Attempting to Displace Venezuelan Congress

According to the Associated Press, a government backed assembly made up of 545 members is planning to take over congress. Members of this assembly flooded the chamber where congress typically meets when in the past, they’d meet in a building adjacent to where the legislature chamber is located. It is thought that this demonstration is the antecedent to a congressional take-over. As of right now congress has the most power in their government and has yet to be interfered with by the pro-government group.

If proven successful, this would take lawmaker’s immunity from prosecution away - a rule that is in place to hold them accountable for the violence that has ensued during protests in these past months as reported by The Washington Post.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres says what needs to happen to help Venezuelan citizens is a continuation of negotiations between the government and the opposition groups. Venezuela’s Supreme Court is also pro-government which has led the mayor of Chacao to be removed and imprisoned for 15 months. This sentence came in response to his rejection of orders to take down barricades set up by protesters.

The United Nations Human Rights Office has been investigating the situation in Venezuela that includes over 100 protest related deaths and has said to find “widespread and systematic use of excessive force, arbitrary detention and other rights violations against demonstrators and detainees.”